


The Greatest Show on Earth

by Tarlan



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crack, Crossover, M/M, Plot What Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-06-12
Updated: 2002-06-12
Packaged: 2017-10-20 08:43:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/210888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Larabee gets his arms full...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Greatest Show on Earth

**Author's Note:**

> Blame this on Kathy B (LarabeesLady) who said...
> 
> _So if you **ARE** gonna have Vin swingin' from a trapeze in the Star Trek universe while trying to seduce Chris who is simultaneously snogging an OFC (original female character), well...a person oughta be warned. (INCLUDING me, by the way, and **Tarlan** \- don't you dare!_
> 
> BTW: This also meets the September E-Day Unusual Places challenge.
> 
> ADDITIONAL NOTE: This is only slightly related to the other Star Trek AU series in existence. I have used some aspects of that universe (because they are **so** good!) but made the rest up myself. Therefore, please consider this story outside of that particular universe.

Reginald Barclay was a genius. There was no doubt about it. He had an ability to program the holodeck in such a flawless way that you forgot that it was all just bytes of data in a computer; forgot it was all just a fantasy. As Commander Vin Tanner moved around Barclay's latest creation he could appreciate the program on many levels. The skill involved appealed to his scientific side; the ascetics and the logic of the programming, the seamless way the holographic characters interacted with the real people who moved about with awe-filled faces. His human side appreciated the rest; the choice of a circus with it's fun-filled atmosphere that took you back to your childhood. The Big Top was full of laughter and a smattering of applause that drifted across from time to time. The very air was heavy with expectation, and the smell of candy, popcorn, hot dogs and sawdust offset the gaudily painted scenery to perfection.

Although the holodeck was a fair size, Barclay had managed to create a sense of vastness that stretched in all directions. Vin stood at the edge of the center ring, his eyes trying to take in all the sights, his other senses soaking up the rich atmosphere. To one side was another smaller ring and his attention was drawn to the crowd on that side as they suddenly 'oohed' and 'aahed' as an agile young woman soared into the air, completing a double somersault before landing lightly upon the back of the large white horse that cantered around the inner circumference. Her skimpy costume sparkled under the lights, showing off all her assets in a way that mesmerized most males of any species. Her long, well-toned legs gripped the side of the horse as she dropped to sit astride the large gelding. The spangly cerulean blue costume emphasized her trim waist, the silver and gold frills of an extremely short skirt only serving to draw the eye to shapely hips. The deep cut of the figure hugging Lycra pushed her breasts up into two full mounds of creamy flesh that threatened to spill over the top with every bounce of the horse beneath her. Cascading chestnut curls, held back by a complimenting headdress, shimmered within a delicate, practically invisible web sprinkled with Rhinestones. Her face was perfection... and yet strangely familiar.

It took only moments for his sharp mind to recognize the likeness of Counselor Deanna Troi.

Vin smiled, already well aware of the crush Reg Barclay had on the Enterprise's famous Betazoid. He was tempted to mention something to Barclay about using the template of a real person without their approval, but the holographic character had just enough of a facial difference to make it a questionable subject.

Instead, he gazed up towards the peaked top of the red and white striped tent, his eyes narrowing as he spied the high trapeze. At the academy he had been a top gymnast, winning several competitions for his work on the asymmetric bars, rings... and for floor work. He eyed the trapeze thoughtfully, wondering whether those skills would translate to the acrobatics of the air. A quick check proved that the program safeties were on, although the forcefield was set to invisible. He could, of course, request that the computer *make* it visible, but that would ruin the thrilling sense of danger that the seeming absence invoked.

With the haste of a decision made, Vin moved into one of the dressing cubicles, cleverly concealed within the bleachers, and changed into the appropriate costume for a high trapeze act. He requested the presence of a catcher dressed in an identical costume of silver and blue, all-in-one Lycra suit and smiled when a man who looked an awful lot like Jean Luc Picard materialized in front of him.

Perhaps he ought to speak to Barclay after all--but later.

As he started to climb the rope ladder to the platform high above the ring, Vin caught sight of his captain, Christopher Larabee, entering the holodeck, and he felt his heart skip a beat. He paused for a moment, stopping to gaze at the lean man clad in a figure hugging jumpsuit of black with a red stripe of material across the shoulders. The blond hair gleamed like a halo around the man's head, giving him an otherworldly appearance, like an angel descended to earth. The jumpsuit covered his captain from shoulder to feet with only the ivory flesh of neck and face exposed and yet, to Vin, it appeared even more erotic than the partially clad Troi look-a-like who still leaped gracefully upon the horse in the other ring. He swallowed hard as Larabee walked away towards the other ring having, fortunately, not been spotted staring down at him. Vin sighed as he took in the confident walk, his gaze captivated by the fluid movement of muscles beneath the perfect fit of the jumpsuit. His eyes followed the delectable curve of his captain's ass before his attention was reclaimed by the impatient Picard look-a-like.

With some alacrity, Vin ascended to the platform.

****

Chris Larabee sauntered around the new holoprogram, his estimation of Reg Barclay's skills going up yet another notch as he noticed so many tiny details that would have been overlooked by most other programmers--except possibly JD. But it was the little things that often mattered. They could determine how real an experience felt, could persuade the mind that the body was away from the stresses of command, and away from the confines of a metal box floating in the vastness of space.

The sound of enthusiastic applause called to him and he moved towards the far ring where he could see a white horse cantering round. He loved horses; had grown up with them on the farm in Colorado where his parents were well-respected Agronomists.

Some sixth sense told him that someone was watching him, but a surreptitious glance around revealed no-one obvious. He sighed as he continued onwards, his thoughts turning to a certain half-human, half-Vulcan commander who had made his heart beat faster from the first time their eyes met across a crowded reception room. Chris had been there to receive his captaincy and the commander had been there, in his role of science officer and second-in-command, to welcome him on-board.

Chris grinned when he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure on the far side of the tent. It seemed his first officer, Buck Wilmington, had found a more than amiable female to keep him company--as per usual. Chris shook his head at the insatiable appetite of the man, knowing there had to be something magnetic about his personality that seemed to attract all the females no matter what race. He could swear he had even seen a Vulcan woman almost succumb to Buck's charm. Other familiar members of his crew were spaced around the interior. He could see Lieutenant Ezra Standish playing parlor tricks with a pack of cards, mystifying his youngest officer, Ensign JD Dunne. In contrast, the gray-flecked head of his oldest crewman was just visible sitting ringside amongst the audience of the smaller ring. Josiah Sanchez was no Betazoid but he still possessed an amazing ability to counsel his crew wisely. Next to him sat the ship's doctor, Nathan Jackson. If anyone could rival the famous Beverly Crusher for sheer skill it was Jackson. Chris often wondered why the man stayed on such a small exploration ship as this when he had been offered the pick of Starfleet's vessels--except, of course, for the Enterprise who's Chief Surgeon position was already filled so ably.

Deciding to go and grab the spare seat next to Nathan, Chris ambled in that general direction, skirting round the edge of the main ring.

****

High above Larabee's head, a lone figure rubbed talc into the palms of his hands and then unhooked the trapeze cradle from above his head. Vin held onto it with one hand, the other still gripping the strong cable that held the platform suspended high above the ground. He watched the Picard-like catcher slip backwards off his own trapeze until he was hanging upside down, knees bent over the bar securely, hands, white with talc, poised ready as he swung in an arc, backwards and forwards.

Vin took his time as he studied the length of the swing, his quicksilver mind making the necessary calculations before he grabbed the trapeze bar with both hands and soared over the center ring. He used his body to increase the momentum then, when he judged it to be the right time, he let go. A single catlike twist through the air and moments later he felt his wrists grabbed, his own hands locking around the catcher's wrists. He looked up and grinned into the catcher's face then gave a half twist as he leaped back towards the empty trapeze at it swooped back towards him, smoothing grabbing it and swinging back to the platform.

****

Chris had just reached the juncture of the two rings when he heard Nathan's exclamation, looking high just in time to watch Vin's graceful twist back to the trapeze bar, followed by an agile swing onto the platform.

Vin looked down, embarrassed and yet strangely pleased by the attention as he saw all the upturned faces watching him. His eyes sought out and found Chris Larabee, his pleasure increasing further when he realised his captain was watching him too. With elation--and a sudden desire to impress Chris--filling his head, Vin gave the signal for a far more complicated maneuver. The Picard look-a-like gave the thumbs up and prepared himself as before.

Chris watched in awe as Vin performed a double somersault before being safely caught, mesmerized by the lithe, graceful figure in silver and blue spinning high above his head. He swallowed hard as he imagined that body writhing beneath him instead, imagining the feel of those well-toned legs wrapped around his own, those deceptively muscled arms pulling him into strong embrace as they thrust against each other in the rhythm of a dance as old as time. If he closed his eyes he could almost feel the silky texture of those long brown curls spread across the pillow; could taste the exotic lips that sampled his own in a ferocious kiss.

Suddenly, reality mixed in with fantasy as a small body hurtled into his arms, chestnut waves forming a curtain around his face as strong legs wrapped around his waist, and arms around his neck. A luscious mouth, slippery with the taste and feel of lipstick clamped over his own. A tongue arrogantly parted his lips, pushing into him, demanding attention. His startled eyes met the deep brown of the Troi look-a-like as she, seemingly, tried to eat him alive.

Screams of laughter and wolf-whistles filled his ears and he realised, suddenly, that the woman had pounced upon him to regain the attention she had lost when everyone became mesmerized by the flying trapeze.

****

The sudden change in the sound of the crowd caught Vin's ears just as he prepared to return to his own trapeze bar. He glanced down and caught sight of Chris being forced backwards towards the center of the main ring, with a woman wrapped around him that looked as if she was trying to perform a tonsillectomy upon his captain with her tongue. With his concentration completely shot to pieces, Vin misjudged the timing, letting go too late. He tried to stretch out towards the bar, his fingertips brushing it just a few millimeters short... and fell.

A cry went up, everyone rising to their feet in horror as the lithe body plummeted towards the ground like Icarus with his melted wings falling away from the sun. Chris managed to push away from the Troi look-a-like, eyes rounding in shock as Vin fell right above his head. His normal reaction to danger fled and Chris found himself rooted to the spot until...

A collective sigh expelled from more than a hundred beings, holographic and real, filled the tent as Vin's body hung suspended a mere foot above his captain's head. Chris gulped as he realised his eyes were staring straight up at the muscular ass that fueled many a fantasy since he took over the captaincy. Vin turned over in mid-air until he was facing down, his eyes locking with the upturned, smoky green of his captain, and he noted, with both shock and stunned delight that those eyes were darkened with desire. With sudden realization, Vin recalled that this obvious desire was probably a residual effect from the lip-lock Chris had been under with the Troi look-a-like, but before his face could fall in dejection, he felt gravity tug at his body.

Another gasp, and relieved laughter, filled the air when the force field was dropped suddenly and Chris Larabee found himself on his back with Vin Tanner covering him. The feel of that lithe body on his own was everything he had ever imagined--and more besides. He could feel Vin's erection hard against his stomach, trapped between their close-pressed bodies. His heart skipped several more beats as he gazed deep into beautiful sky blue eyes, seeing both startlement, sorrow and lust vying for supremacy as Vin fought to extract himself from the embarrassing embrace.

_God, Vin. You are so beautiful._

Vin froze, and Chris stilled beneath him in realization of the thought that would have bled through their physical contact to the touch telepath.

"I-I'm sorry..."

The stammered apology was lost as Vin, full of elation, swooped down to capture those perfect lips, mind aflame from the desire that bounced back and forth, intensifying with each passing moment until nothing remained but the exquisite sensations building between them. His agile fingers found hidden openings in the black and red jumpsuit, tearing apart the fabric to expose the ivory flesh that he had so long desired to taste and touch. As Chris's long fingers trailed down his back to cup the globes of his ass, Vin's mouth slid away to kiss and lick a path down to the base of the offered throat. He paused to suck hard, teeth nipping at the bruised flesh when he pulled away. When the fabric refused to cooperate any further, Vin tore at it until he had exposed the lean, muscular chest. His mouth latched onto one pink nipple, worrying the hardened bud between his teeth. He swiped his tongue across the oversensitive flesh before sucking and biting his way across to the other side.

No coherent thought passed between them, their minds reduced to the animalistic frenzy of lust as they ground their hips against each other, desperately seeking that moment of annihilation and rebirth, until their minds were soaring, entwined in white hot passion.

Chris groaned long and hard, his body arching from the sawdust floor as he was swept over the edge of the abyss. He fell without fear as another mind coiled itself about his own and found himself swept along the currents of ecstasy with Vin wrapped around him, before they crashed back into their own bodies.

Only the sound of heavy breathing filled the air when they finally resurfaced and with it came the realization of exactly where they were. Abject horror and embarrassment filled both men as they stared at each other. They turned their heads to where they knew the audience in the bleachers would be sitting in stunned silence--and found emptiness.

Chris and Vin sat up quickly, bodies still closely entwined, and stared around the Big Top. It was empty; not a single person in sight--anywhere. There was no Buck entangled with a voluptuous Bajoran, no Ezra and JD playing at magic tricks... no Josiah and Nathan watching the unexpected show from their ringside seats.

The white horse was standing quietly, alone. The Troi look-a-like had disappeared along with all the others, including the Picard-like catcher.

"What the hell...?"

Vin looked down at Chris Larabee, his embarrassment fading into a shy grin as he remembered that quiet talk he had with Reg Barclay all those weeks ago, when he admitted his love and desire for a certain handsome, blond-haired, green-eyed starship captain.

He shook his head in amazement, then leaned down to recapture the kiss-swollen lips of his new lover. His last thought before his mind dissolved once more into a haze of love and passion was filled with heartfelt gratitude.

Thank you, Reg.

THE END

-


End file.
